YMO Appeals to Intl Orgs to Rescue Kidnapped Journalists In Yemen

The Yemen Media Observatory (YMO) a local Yemeni CSO released a new press release On December 5th, 2016, appealing to the International community to turn an eye on kidnapped journalists at the Houthi rebels jails.

The family of Abd AlKhalek Amran – an abducted journalist – has filed a complaint with the YMO stating that Amran has lost the ability to move due to the escalated torture operations practiced against him by Houthi militias.

In a year and a half, Houthis have kidnapped 17 journalists. The kidnapped journalists are being subjected to the worst forms of torture, resulting in chronic diseases. The case of Amran – who was preceded by journalists Salah Al-Qaedy and Akram A-lWaleedi – is no exception. Amran is currently suffering from spine issues and lost his ability to move due to intensive torture. Journalists are also deprived of simple human rights such as meeting up with their families.

The YMO condemns the crimes practiced by Houthi militias against their fellow journalists. These crimes have included depriving them of their rights, various forms of psychological and physical torture, and assaulting their mothers as they claim freedom for their captured sons.

The YMO is demanding the international community, including the United Nations and Human Rights Organizations, rescue the abducted journalists such as Amran and Yousef Ajlan from the Houthis’ grip, especially as the numbers of deaths in their prisons have escalated dramatically.

on the last month, the UNESCO says that Journalists are becoming more and more frequent targets in many regions of the world, with dozens killed each year and many others suffering abuses like kidnapping, torture, imprisonment and harassment.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) also expressed its concerns over the worsening health of a kidnapped journalist who has been tortured in captivity in Yemen.

“The IFJ repeats its demands from the de facto government to free all journalists in its prisons,” said IFJ President, Philippe Leruth ina statement. “The maltreatment and inhumane conditions in which it keeps its prisoners have been tolerated for too long by the international community and the United Nations General Secretary and his special envoy should report on the measures to be taken to protect Yemeni journalists in these conflict zones”, he said. In total, 16 journalists remain captive and eight have been killed in Yemen in 2016, said the Brussels-based IFJ. (end) nk.ibi